Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-02-05
pICKETT'S DIVISION.
PROPOSED REAssRMBLfNG AT GET.
fYsBuRa OF TEE SURVIVORS.
"Reminiscences Of the Battle Meeting
Held Last Night To Further
the Reunion, &c.

y
Caskie's) Of his artillery we're Richmond
troops, and all the others we're brother
Virginians.
Pickett's division was selected to carry
the enemy's works. 1t madea glorious
charge, but being unsupported at the
critical moment could not hold the
ground it had taken yet from defeat
and disaster wrested crown of glory,
which is our States proudest heritage
from the war.
AMID SHOT AND SHELL.
Said DR.. Hoge in his address at the
Pickett Memorial meeting August,
1875: pickett, at the head Of $500
men, moved down the slopes with the
precision Of regiments on parade, amid
fiery storm of shot and shell, officers
and men falling in appalling numbers,
but the ranks steadily closing up and
pressing on with the calmness OF q
courage too sublime for doubt or fear
until the heights were gained and all
that human valor could achieve was
won. The charge of the Light Brigade
| at Balaklava was magnificent, but
il was mistaken one as
military movement. The charges of
Southland Murat at Austerlitz were splen-
did when their great captain fired them
by saying Come, let us end the war
with clap of thunder!' The charge
Of the Old Guard at Waterloo was re-
sistless; but history chronicles no
greater charge than that which Pickett
led, and in which you, Mr.. Chairman,
| [Governor Kemper,] received your
honorable wound. Long-continued
applause. Well has it been said, 'On
that day the name of Virginia was bap-
tied in fire and will illuminate forever
the temple of history
THE CHARGE DESCRIBED.
The Hon. John w. Daniel, in his adj
dress before the Virginia Division Of
the Army of Northern Virginia in Oc-
tober, 1875, described this charge as
| follows:
At the end Of two hours the artillery fire
| sackcned--then closed like some grand orcheS-
| tral chorus announcing the curtains rise rs
| tragedy itself steps forth upon the stage. As
| silence once more reigned over the smoking
heights. from behind the sable curtain that still
hung over Seminary Ridge there emerged the
| long double lines of the Confederate infantry,
| in mono Of the "pOmp and circumstance OF
war; bat clad In sOmbre hOmespun, brown aud
| gray with nothing bright about them save the
| hlood-red battle-Hags twinkling In their midst
and the glitterinR sheen Of cold steel. Old Vir-
ginia had the post Of honor that day. In the
centre Of the assaulting line moved Pickett
mon, " in battles magnii1cenuy storm array y
Kemper on the right connecting with WI
cox: Garnett on the left. connecting with
Pettigrew; Armistead behind :hem-Nirgin-
iaus all Down the slope from Seminary
Ridge they moved forth 20 the assault not i'm
petuously, says MIR. Swinton, lat the run or
double quick, as has boon represented In tho
overcolored descriptions In which the famous
charge has been 80 often painted but with
dtscipiined stoddiness-a quality noticed by az
WhO saw this advance az its characteristic Tea
turc" Mounted on his familiar iron-gray wal
horse Traveller General Lee, from the SUNNI
Of Seminary Ridge, watched his Veterans a
they advanced TO this supreme endeavOr,
did Napoleon, from the slope OF la Belle A
lance. watch tho advance OF the Ola Guar
upOn the allied centre al Waterloo. Scarcely
had thew debouched into the field before once
more Cemetery Ridge, in their front, was
fringed with fire, and into their faces came Tue
Kissing shot and shell. And, unfortunately for
us AR opR batteries. kGring nedriy eIhditsfef
fbcir ammunition IA fact unknown TO General
Lee when the assault commenced), were unable
70 reply.
Our loft. under the noble Trimble. who was
soon struck down, staggered AT the start, but
soon rcgained their step and while shell blr't
overhead and solid shot opened frighuul gapa
the lines closed up and moved on Hall way
! over this death-devOured field Picketts mon
| paused aud rearranged their lines, and then
! moved obliduey 20 the left, 80 as 70 strike
the highest point and apparent centre OF the
! enemy Now, II happened that the supporting
| troops did not close on TO Picketrs right,
| thus leaving a gap open upon his flank:
| and now al close range. the enemy
| from his shottcd guns poured canister right in
their bosoms; but they still pressed right o..
| And now from behind stone walls ana trench
| on tho top plateau OF Cemetery Ridge the f''
/ OF musketry flashed into their faces. Kempcr
/ and Garnett, while leading their men like q
/ Paladns Of old had. fallen; but the men fa
| tered not and with bold forward rush they
| Glove the Federal line. Brave ArmisteaI,
leading his mon afoot, sprung upon the en-.
my's works, while all around him clusterc
the resolute soldiers Of the Virginia diyison
who had
While all the world wondered"
With coln countenance. but heart elate.
General Lee from his post, with his held-glas-
Fixed upon this point, now saw the battle-nagS
wavlng over the smoke that wreathed the crest
Of Cemetery Ridge, like a cluster OF bloOd-red
mountain blossoms amidst thick foliage; an
for the while Picketts men stood conquerors o.
this blood-W won summit while all along their
front the Federal troops, dlsmayed by their a
tonishing intrepiaity, fed the field, leavin
their batteries in the Victors hands.
But alas they stood alone. For at leas'
twenty minutes Il am told by Captain Johl
Holmes Smith, OF the Lynchburg Home Guard
who, though wounded, climbed that perilous
height, the few who got there held undisputed
possee sion Of the 0eld. But where were their
spppoTtsg Where were their c0aiiut0rs!
They had broken before the tornado OF canister
IN their 'front.' and had disappeared. And now,
upon their right the gap left was being filled
by Federal troops; and marshaling IA their
front tho Federal reserves, summoned from
every point TO the rescue, stood In masses four
lines deep.
Anxiously they looked for support, but In
stead Of succor their antagonists closed upon
them front and flank. and this little wasted
band could no more live In tho concentr1c
lines OF fire emptied on their devoted heads
than the child's play-boat could breast the
surge OF an ocean storm.
Sword In hand, on the farthest verge OF the
advance, brave Armistead fell, death-stricken;
aud from this highest pinnacle 10 which ever
the waves Of the Confederate war dashed thetr
bloody spray the surviving handful OF Picketts
men relaxed their hold and sullenly turned
their faces back to the Confederate lines ana
toward the setting sun. The sun, alas whose
waning rays lighted for the last time 10 many
n fallen hero the scenes of earth-the sun,
alas whose waning rays seemed prophetic OF
the waning cause, dcarer 20 them than light or
life. And 80 Virginia's spear was hroken-the
banner Of the Confederacy was bhghted-the
battle Of Gettysburg was donei 9.
In Pickett's division tho frightful loss al
tests its devoted courage. IL carried into ac-
lion four thousand four hundred and eighty
five uuskets, about four thousand seven hun
dred rank aud file. Its loss was two thousand
eight hundred ana sixty-three. Two OF its
brigadiers (Armistcad and Garnetn we're site1
and the third (Kemper1 wounded, but, thaak
Heaven not lost OF fifteen redmeAts, COM
mAnders seven we're killed and eight wounded;
and Of It's whole complement OF Held Officers
only one, the gallant Northumberland DO
seph X. Cabell, who was aftarwards killed q.
Drewry's farm, returned from the charge ua-
scathed.
Meeting Lass Night.
A meeting OF the survivors of Pick
ett's division was held at Murphy's
Hotel last night to make preliminary
arrangements for a reunion and visit
to the batile-grouads of Gettysburg on
the Sd Of July, the anniversary OF the
battle.
There being some misunderstanding
as TO whether the meeting would be
held at this place or at the Regimental
Armory, some went to one place and
some TO the other.
BANQUET.
Just as the meeting was called to
order Colonel Murphy invited the gen.
flemen present 10 join IN banquet ten